Mo Sang – CH 227

Chapter 227. A Famous Site

Li Sangrou and her group stayed at the inn for two or three days. Hei Ma and Xiao Lu then found a house they liked, cleaned it, and moved in.

The next day, Meng Yanqing counted the heads of the various rice and grain merchants in Hongzhou. Once they were all present, he informed Li Sangrou.

Li Sangrou did not hesitate; she chose Tengwang Pavilion that very day to invite the heads of the rice and grain merchants to tea and enjoy the scenery.

Meng Yanqing sent someone to invite the heads of the various merchants to Tengwang Pavilion. Li Sangrou, along with Da Chang, Hei Ma, and the others, went to Tengwang Pavilion first.

Perhaps because the banner of the new king had just changed hands in Yuzhang City, Tengwang Pavilion was deserted. The dilapidated building, overgrown with weeds, presented a desolate scene under the setting sun.

“What kind of place is this? Why did the Boss choose such a place? A mass grave? Is this a temple? It looks quite grand!” Hei Ma circled around, looking at the surroundings, and could not help but nudge Da Chang, asking.

“Have you ever heard of ‘The setting sun and lone goose together flying; the autumn water and the vast sky blending’?” Li Sangrou turned to look at Hei Ma.

“Of course I’ve heard… but never,” Hei Ma hesitated, not daring to say anything inappropriate in front of the Boss.

“As a scholar from a prominent family, when you come to Yuzhang, you cannot miss the Tengwang Pavilion.” Li Sangrou glanced at Hei Ma sideways and said seriously.

“That’s right, that’s right!” Hei Ma puffed out his chest, then asked, “But what’s so good about this place? It looks like a mass grave.”

“Three buildings. Where are we?” Da Chang carried a table and chairs up the steps, looking around.

This one, this one, and that one—all equally dilapidated.

“Over there, over the river,” Li Sangrou pointed.

“Boss, what’s so good about this lousy place?” Hei Ma pressed.

The Boss had said that scholars from our family could not afford to miss this place; he needed to know something about it, otherwise, he could not show off.

“Good feng shui,” Li Sangrou said earnestly, looking at Hei Ma.

“Oh! No wonder! I knew it! I clearly saw it just now, but I did not dare say it!” Hei Ma, carrying tea leaves, a teapot, and a red copper kettle in both hands, could only stomp his feet twice.

Da Chang set up the table and chairs; Hei Ma put down the teacups and teapot he was carrying; and Xiao Lu and the others gathered firewood and built a fire, and just as they started boiling water, Da Chang gestured to Li Sangrou, “Boss, they are here.”

Li Sangrou turned and looked back. Below the steps, a group of four or five people was talking quietly as they approached.

“Hey! This way!” Hei Ma stood on the railing, waving and shouting.

The first group of people had climbed halfway up the steps when another group of five or six arrived, and then one group after another followed.

The first group reached the top, cautiously and warily surveying their surroundings. Seeing Li Sangrou standing with her hands behind her back, smiling and observing them, a tall, thin man in his forties or fifties in the middle bowed with a forced smile. “This must be the Boss.”

“Li Sangrou,” Li Sangrou said clearly and slowly, “please make yourselves at home.”

“This is my first time in Yuzhang City, and the Tengwang Pavilion truly lives up to its reputation,” Li Sangrou said, turning to look at the vast river.

The head of the group, who was about to introduce himself and the other elders, was caught off guard by Li Sangrou’s turn and choked on his breath.

“The Tengwang Pavilion is most beautiful in autumn.” The elder swallowed and could only continue Li Sangrou’s words.

“Truly, the autumn waters blend seamlessly with the sky.” Li Sangrou took two steps outside. “It’s a pity the weeds are too tall; this pavilion is too dilapidated. If we repaired it, we could drink tea and wine here. How wonderful that would be.”

“That would be a great act of merit,” Elder Xing replied with a forced smile, his mind uneasy.

Several groups of people entered the pavilion one after another. The pavilion was not large, and with so many people, it was somewhat crowded, yet everyone remained in their own distinct groups.

Li Sangrou stood on a rock outside the pavilion, glancing back at the groups inside. Seeing Meng Yanqing approach, she asked, “Is everyone here?”

“Yes,” Meng Yanqing replied crisply.

“I did not expect this place to be so desolate. It seems we can only have a cup of tea,” Li Sangrou gestured to Da Chang.

Da Chang poured tea from the pot into cups on a tray, one by one. Datou and the others carried the tray, serving the tea to the groups of people.

“I am a rough person; I do not know much about tea, so I specially asked Master Wen for some to entertain you all.” Li Sangrou took the large cup handed to her by Hei Ma, smelled it, and took a sip.

“Inviting you all to Yuzhang City and to this Tengwang Pavilion was also Master Wen’s instruction; I had to tell you all in person.”

Li Sangrou sat down on the only bamboo chair in the pavilion.

“As soon as I entered Yuzhang City, Master Wen summoned me, saying that when he was in Jiangzhou City, he made a promise to all the large and small businesses in Hongzhou: Jiangnan and Jiangbei would be treated equally, and bullying and tyranny would not be tolerated.”

Li Sangrou clicked her tongue, then sighed. “He summoned me just to give me these two instructions, sigh.”

The pavilion was completely silent.

“This is the first time I’ve heard Master Wen say such things. Back in Jingzhou, from Ezhou to Xiangfan, it was all conquered by the mighty Qi Army with swords and spears. At that time, Master Wen was too busy burying the dead to make such promises.

The Commander-in-Chief said Master Wen is some kind of extraordinary talent, which means whatever Master Wen says is right, right?

Master Wen’s talk about unity and ‘no bullying’—I understand that. It means Hongzhou still belongs to everyone, and everyone can do whatever they want with this business. I am not allowed to steal it. I have not misunderstood that, have I?”

Li Sangrou looked at everyone.

The entire pavilion listened intently, but everyone kept their lips pursed, not uttering a word.

“Whether I am wrong or not, you need to show some reaction. If I am wrong, tell me where I went wrong. If I am right, raise your hand. What am I supposed to do if you are all silent?” Li Sangrou raised an eyebrow and asked.

Among the crowd, people looked at each other, hands hesitantly rising.

“How many hands are raised?” Li Sangrou asked Da Chang.

“This group, that group, that one, and that one—no hands raised; everyone else raised theirs,” Da Chang said, pointing to four groups.

“You think something’s wrong? What’s wrong…” Before Li Sangrou could finish speaking, the four groups Da Chang had pointed to quickly raised their hands.

“Regarding the Hongzhou area, you can do whatever you want with this business. Master Wen promised you, so that’s settled.

What about business outside Hongzhou? Are you going to do it? If so, how do you plan to do it?” Li Sangrou asked, looking at everyone.

The crowd looked at each other even more intently.

“You can discuss it,” Li Sangrou said, taking a sip of her tea.

“Boss, this business is for the whole world, not just our Hongzhou,” the old man who entered first and stood at the front said with a fawning smile.

“What about the others? Are they also going to do business all over the world?” Li Sangrou asked.

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“Who does business behind closed doors?”

“Business has to be spread out, especially since we are in the rice and grain business.”

…

The crowd chattered amongst themselves.

“Then let’s discuss how you plan to handle the business outside Hongzhou,” Li Sangrou continued.

“This matter requires the Boss to give the order,” the foreman at the front said hesitantly with a forced smile.

“Originally, I was the one who gave the orders, but now, Master Wen promised you, so I cannot just say it casually, can I? That’s why I invited you all here to discuss it,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“I heard that rice merchants in Jiangbei operate like brokerage firms?” someone in the crowd asked.

“Show them our rules.” Li Sangrou gestured to Da Chang.

Da Chang nodded, bent down, picked up a worn-out rice sack, and handed it to Xiao Lu.

Xiao Lu took out a booklet, counting the rice merchants—one booklet for each group.

The rules in the booklet were simple and clear, and everyone read them quickly. After finishing, the groups exchanged glances and signals. Seeing Li Sangrou sipping her tea with her eyes lowered, one group leaned over another, whispering among themselves.

Li Sangrou sipped her tea, waiting for their discussion.

“Boss, since Master Wen said that Hongzhou should follow Hongzhou’s rules, should this not also follow Hongzhou’s rules?” the head of the group asked with a smile after receiving the signals from the other elders.

“Rice ships from Jiangbei. Once they enter Hongzhou, according to your Hongzhou rules, the rice can only be sold to your guild in its entirety. Is that right?” Li Sangrou asked directly.

Everyone in the pavilion nodded quickly.

“Then what happens to your Hongzhou rice ships when they reach Jiangbei?” Li Sangrou continued.

“How about this?” someone in the middle of the group said with a smile. “All the rice from Hongzhou will be distributed through our business.”

Li Sangrou laughed. “Sure! Why not? That’s perfect. Alright, let’s do it this way.”

The men stared at Li Sangrou in disbelief, then at each other.

This good thing was too good, too fast; they could not believe it.

“But what if someone secretly buys the rice…” The old man at the front felt flustered. He had thought of everything, but he had not expected it to be so easy to agree to, with everything they said going along with it.

“Oh, there are quite a few merchants from Jiangbei who are heading south, preparing to buy rice from Hongzhou and transport it north. Rice prices in Jianle City have risen quite a bit this year, sigh; it is all because of the war,” Li Sangrou nodded.

“What if they secretly buy the rice?” Some people in the pavilion were delighted, some were anxious, and many more were worried and anxious.

“Then, will you report it to the authorities?” Li Sangrou suggested earnestly.

“Could the Boss handle this…” Elder Xing, standing at the front, smiled obsequiously.

“Sure, but if I step in, it means you’ve acknowledged me as your head. And I am not just some nobody who’s been given that title. Da Chang, tell them your Boss’s rules,” Li Sangrou smiled.

“Just one rule: all profits go to our Boss. Those with families receive a monthly allowance, and unmarried individuals receive two taels of silver a month for pocket money,” Da Chang said each word clearly.

Their Boss’s rules were always simple and clear.

The pavilion fell silent again.

“Master Wen promised…” someone murmured from the crowd.

“Master Wen promised you everything. Which promise did he fail to keep?” Li Sangrou’s smile vanished.

“In the past, this river separated Northern Qi and Southern Liang. You could not freely travel north, and Northern Qi merchants could not freely travel south. Both you and the Northern Qi merchants could only sigh longingly at the river, forced to conduct business behind closed doors.

Now, the other side of the river is Great Qi, and this side is also Great Qi.

You want to do business north of the river, earning money from it, but you do not want Northern merchants to come south, and you do not want Northern businesses to come to Hongzhou to make money.

Master Wen promised not to let Northern businesses bully you, not to let me strip you naked, rob you, and then fight and kill you. Is that not enough?

Do you think Master Wen’s promise means you are only allowed to earn money from the north but not allowed Northern businesses to come south to Hongzhou, not allowed them to steal your business and earn Hongzhou’s money?

Such a good thing; I would not even dare to dream of it. How did you come up with this idea?” Li Sangrou chuckled.

“Furthermore, each of you, seizing a piece of rice, did you rely on your own abilities, or do you all have powerful backers?

Now, in the entire Hongzhou, the flags have changed hands in every city, big and small. Even the Emperor of Southern Liang himself, I, the Boss, do not need to take you seriously, right?

I really like this place. The autumn waters blend seamlessly with the sky; it is truly beautiful. I plan to renovate this place properly, planting the most expensive orchids and flowers. I will go back now and have someone calculate the cost; it will probably be quite a sum. Hongzhou has a bumper harvest this year, and I, the Boss, will need to transport several boatloads of rice to earn money to start operations.”

Li Sangrou spoke as she stood up and walked out.

“Boss!” The Guild Head at the front bowed and blocked Li Sangrou’s path. “Boss, please wait a moment. It is not that we, the rice merchants of Yuzhang City, are unwilling to follow your rules, but…”

Li Sangrou gave a slow hum, took a step back, and sat down in a chair.

“Boss, you are very perceptive. The rice merchants of Yuzhang City have always been affiliated with the Grain Transport Commissioner’s Office. I’ve always been there to see off and welcome every new commissioner.

I heard that our new Grain Transport Commissioner will be taking office soon. I was just overthinking things; after all, it is the old custom,” the Yuzhang rice merchants’ Guild Head said in a low voice.

“Then you will wait for the new commissioner,” Li Sangrou said calmly.

“That’s not what I meant. I meant I am just someone who follows orders, am I not, Boss?” the Guild Head chuckled dryly.

“You can wait for the new commissioner; he will be here soon.” Li Sangrou stood up and walked out.

“Boss! Boss, please wait, I…” the Guild Head called out twice, but Li Sangrou did not stop, walking straight through the crowd.

Da Chang and the others, carrying tables and chairs, pushed through the crowd and followed.

“Boss!” The Guild Head tried to chase after them, but Meng Yanqing stopped him.

The people in the pavilion watched in disbelief as Li Sangrou led the way, followed by Da Chang, Hei Ma, and the others, carrying old tables and broken chairs, down the steps.

“What does she mean by this?”

“She’s so disrespectful! Guild Head Zhang has not even finished speaking.”

“How can this be? She should at least give way a little. She cannot just do whatever she wants! It is unacceptable!”

“Elder Wang, stop talking nonsense; let’s go back! Hurry!”

The people in the pavilion squeezed together to leave, frowning and muttering to themselves.

This matter was very different from what they had expected; they needed to discuss it carefully.